Cross-party group makes recommendations to 'drive up standards' in end-of-life care.

One of Devon County Councils cross-party task groups says that there is only ‘one chance’ to get end-of-life care right and has made a series of recommendations to help drive up the standards in Devon. 

One of Devon County Councils cross-party task groups says that there is only ‘one chance’ to get end-of-life care right and has made a series of recommendations to help drive up the standards in Devon. 

The End of Life Care Task Group, part of our Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee, said it was ‘vital ‘that residents received the right access to the right support at the right time. 

A report detailing the evidence gathered, the group’s conclusions and recommendations can be found here on our website and will now be considered by cabinet on March 12.  

The Task Group’s role was to review the current provision for end-of-life care and support in Devon.  

They received written submissions and heard evidence from a range of groups and experts including from Adult Social Care, the NHS and Healthwatch. 

Councillors also listened to the views and first-hand experiences of professionals who support and care for those at the end of their lives such as GPs, care homes and hospices. 

The report says that by investing in District Nurses, GPs and Social Workers it would allow earlier identification of patients at the end of their lives. 

Earlier identification would help individuals and families plan better and allow more people to spend their last days being cared for in accordance with their wishes.  

It would also help out-of-hours providers to better understand the needs of individuals and ensure access to care and support tailored to each person’s needs and wishes. 

The Task Group also recommended a full review of all information and advice currently available in Devon on palliative, end of life care and bereavement to ensure that advice was equally accessible to everyone. 

By ensuring that the right information and advice was equally accessible it would better help patients’ families and professionals consider their options, understand treatment decisions and record their wishes. 

The report will also be referred to the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee’s Expert Panel: independent evaluation of palliative care in England. 

Councillor Sara Randall Johnson (Con), Chair, End of Life Care Task Group, Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee said: 

“Conversations about death and dying are challenging, but it is vital we get this right. 

“End of life care services across Devon should be sustainable and consistent; patients and families should expect to have the same access to services.  

“Early identification and availability of information ensures people are able to receive access to the right support at the right time tailored to the individual while funding diverted from primary care to community care will help ensure people can remain in their home.  

“The Task Group feel strongly that end of life care should be a strategic priority, and we should be doing whatever we can to ensure that people can die with dignity wherever they live in the County.

Councillor Alan Connett (Lib Dem), Deputy Chair, Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee, said:

“If given a choice, most of us would choose to die at home, with the love and support of our family around us. 

“And if that is not possible, then a hospice, a place which specialises in end-of-life care, might well be out next choice. 

“Few would choose to spend their final days in a hospital – no matter how good it is. “The work undertaken by the End of Life Care task group is an important milestone in the work to ensure we can offer a consistently good service and support to people at the end of their life. 

“However, a very important part for that is funding – not just for the care services that provide support at home but especially for the fantastic hospices in Devon, which rely far too heavily on community fundraising. They have to do this because of the unequal funding they receive through the NHS. 

“We need a balanced approach to supporting end of life care and this, in my view, includes ensuring we have well supported and fairly funded hospice services across Devon.”

Councillor Carol Whitton (Lab), a member of the Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee, said:

“I am very grateful to the Scrutiny Task Group for encouraging open and honest conversations about the delivery of end of life care in Devon.  

“I have no doubt that all of us want to see kindness and compassion from those tasked with caring for ourselves or our loved ones whenever the time comes and that we would like care to be provided as far as is humanly possible in the place where we or our loved ones feel most comfortable and is of our choosing.  Conversations like this are inevitably difficult but essential and I thank the Task Group for putting this so firmly on the agenda going forwards.”